


Thanks

by zenonaa



Series: TogaFuka Week 2020 [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: F/M, togafukaweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenonaa/pseuds/zenonaa
Summary: '“This is nothing like a love confession.”If his gaze was a knife, it would have cut right through Makoto.“S-Sorry!” yelped Makoto. He threw his hands up, showing his palms in surrender, and added timidly, “It sounds kind of like one though, Togami-kun.”“Well, it’s not one,” replied Byakuya with a small jerk of his head. His brow scrunched then relaxed a bit, but not much. In a tight, level voice, he said, “No matter. I have, of course, prepared another speech, in case you found fault in this one.”'Togami enlists Naegi's help to practice what Togami should say to Fukawa when they reunite in Towa City.
Relationships: Fukawa Touko/Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto & Togami Byakuya
Series: TogaFuka Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863115
Comments: 12
Kudos: 43





	Thanks

The elevator door opened with a groan. Makoto emerged into the corridor, dressed in his work suit at Future Foundation’s main headquarters on a Saturday, as opposed to in his casual clothes playing video games at his apartment with Yasuhiro like he originally planned. Since passing through the main entrance on the ground floor, he had not seen a single person. Not heard a single voice. No one greeted him at the reception desk or galloped up or down the stairs nearby, and he couldn’t hear anything beyond the door that led to the offices on this floor.

Part of healing included rest, and as the world was finally healing now, Future Foundation allowed employees to have weekends off. Yet, despite that and the eerie silence around him, Makoto knew someone else was here, on this very floor, waiting for him.

Makoto exhaled and approached the door to the other offices. He stopped in front of it and extended his hand, but he didn’t open it, hovering his hand next to it. His faint reflection stared back at him from the door’s glass pane. Over the years, Makoto imprinted many faces onto many reflective surfaces. Bright-eyed, optimistic faces. Angry, determined faces. Tired, haunted faces.

The one peering back now was tired, but optimistic.

He looked up, breathed and opened the door.

Wooden caramel panels covered the floor. Either side of Makoto, framed photographs and motivational posters claimed any available space on the white walls. Though he hadn’t been on this floor many times before, most had the same layout. Makoto walked down the corridor until he reached a door with a symbol of someone wearing a dress on it then went inside, where he immediately found himself face-to-face with his colleague, Byakuya Togami.

A fan whirred over their heads, already in action. Same with the lights. The bathroom had been refurbished, more colourful than the understated monochrome schemes on other floors. Both the floor and the ceiling were tiled in white, and the furthest wall from Makoto boasted pastel pink. Sinks stood to his left, each garnished with a rosy bar of soap despite the dispensers above them all, and the dispensers were fixed onto mirrors that took up the entirety of that wall. 

Byakuya clicked his tongue. Makoto’s eyes flitted back to him.

“You’re five minutes late,” said Byakuya, arms folded over his chest.

His glare weighed down on Makoto, who tensed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sorry, I got here as fast as I could,” replied Makoto, slapping on an apologetic smile. He lowered his hand slowly and squinting slightly, added, “But if we live in the same apartment block, wouldn’t it have been easier to meet at your place instead?”

As opposed to the girls’ bathroom on the eighth floor of Future Foundation’s main building.

“No,” said Byakuya with a small shake of his head. “I don’t want to risk us being overheard, and I know for a fact this bathroom doesn’t have any hidden cameras. Andou made a big deal of it during a meeting, and the memory stuck with me.”

When Byakuya phoned Makoto the night before, he had refused to divulge to Makoto what this sudden meeting was about, only referring to it as ‘important’ and saying that he couldn’t tell anyone else about it. Makoto didn’t disbelieve him, but he hadn’t realised how many precautions Byakuya put in place so their conversation would remain confidential.

The quiver of a smile on Makoto’s lips flatlined. This must have been serious. More serious than Makoto realised.

Byakuya pushed up his glasses. Jutted out his chin.

“As you will know, in a week, we are being flown to Towa City to retrieve two of our friends,” said Byakuya, prompting Makoto to give a nod, and Byakuya wagged a finger. “You are going because one of them is your sister. Now, you must wonder why I am going too. Why I insisted on it.”

Not really. That was what Makoto wanted to say, and what he almost said. Byakuya twitched his finger one more time, then left it pointing vaguely in Makoto’s direction.

“It is because of Fukawa,” said Byakuya. He paused. Stared. Waited.

Makoto felt obligated to respond.

“... Right,” said Makoto, eyeing him. That seemed like a safe answer. He already suspected that to be Byakuya’s reason, but he didn’t know what Byakuya would steer the conversation to from here.

“You see,” Byakuya carried on, and he now clasped his hands together tightly and bobbed them up and down, his index fingers the only digits pointing outward, “when I collect Fukawa, there are a few things I wish to address with her. I want to commend her for her efforts during our separation, as well as the previous period which I failed to acknowledge prior to her departure, and I want to discuss plans for what is to happen next.”

He stopped moving his hands, staring at Makoto intensely.

“Uh... okay?” said Makoto, and he scratched his temple. “Is that what you wanted to tell me?”

A tremor convulsed on Byakuya’s face. His features darkened as he gritted his teeth.

“Don’t get passive aggressive with me. If you don’t wish to assist me, come out and say it. I will remember, though,” warned Byakuya.

Makoto winced and patted the air. “S-Sorry! I mean, I would be glad to help. So what is it you want my help with?”

The cold glint in Byakuya’s eyes lingered as he straightened and adjusted his glasses. He placed one hand onto his hip.

“I will recite what I plan to say to Fukawa, and you will advise me on any amendments I should make,” said Byakuya. “Even though I have become more considerate of people’s feelings, no switch has flicked within me and I may say something too harsh. I also don’t want to say something that Fukawa might misunderstand. You know how her imagination can run wild...”

Once Makoto processed what Byakuya requested from him, a grin broke out across Makoto’s face. Makoto couldn’t imagine Byakuya wanting to practice so as to avoid accidentally hurting someone’s feelings when they first met.

“I would be happy to help you with that,” Makoto said, nodding. “All right, you start.”

Byakuya positioned his fist to his mouth and cleared his throat, then moved his hand away, his expression serious.

“Fukawa, at first, you irritated me and I wished for you to disappear, but over the years, I came to know you better and no longer want that to happen,” said Byakuya.

Makoto frowned. Already, he thought it could do with some work. 

However, Makoto didn’t say anything yet, because Byakuya stared into space with the same level of focus one would direct at a person they were talking to, so Makoto thought Byakuya had more to say. Advice could come afterwards, when Byakuya was finished. Byakuya began pacing back and forth, waving one hand about as he spoke.

“As time went by, you seeped into my subconscious. I began to think about you when I had nothing else to think about,” Byakuya revealed. He cupped his chin and slowed his pace, but he didn’t stop walking, his steps turning to shuffling. “Then, I thought about you when I was supposed to be thinking about other things. Even now, my mind still strays to you without my intention. I have come to... acknowledge that you play a significant role in my life.”

Byakuya came to a halt. A beat of silence passed between them. The body language of the two men differed greatly. While Byakuya stood stiffly with his jaw clenched and his lips pressed together, Makoto’s mouth hung ajar. He didn’t know how to respond, but fortunately for him, Byakuya resumed speaking.

“You are an enigma, and now that we are back together, I will keep a close eye on you,” said Byakuya quietly, edging close to a murmur. “I wish to learn more about you. I want you by my side. Thank you.”

The ceiling fan hummed. Rattled faintly. Byakuya turned to Makoto.

“Well? What do you think?” asked Byakuya, his voice returning to its usual volume.

Makoto shifted his weight between his feet.

“Are... Is this a love confession?” blurted Makoto.

Byakuya twitched.

“No! I am thanking her,” Byakuya snapped. “This is nothing like a love confession.”

If his gaze was a knife, it would have cut right through Makoto.

“S-Sorry!” yelped Makoto. He threw his hands up, showing his palms in surrender, and added timidly, “It sounds kind of like one though, Togami-kun.”

“Well, it’s not one,” replied Byakuya with a small jerk of his head. His brow scrunched then relaxed a bit, but not much. In a tight, level voice, he said, “No matter. I have, of course, prepared another speech, in case you found fault in this one.”

Of course he did. Byakuya pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, skimmed through it, then spoke again.

“Fukawa, we have been through a lot together, haven’t we?” he asked. Neither Makoto nor the room answered. That didn’t deter Byakuya, whose voice spread throughout the bathroom. “When we first met, I thought I had you sussed out, but you have continued to surprise me. I realise you are not just a stuttering girl with a persecution complex, but a stuttering girl with a persecution complex that is brave, intelligent, resourceful, attractive and incredibly loyal. You have proven yourself to be an invaluable asset to me, and with you by my side, we can look to the future together. Thank you.”

Byakuya faced him again.

“Thoughts?” he said calmly.

Makoto braced himself and said hesitantly, “Togami-kun... that also sounded like a love confession.”

“How so?” asked Byakuya, narrowing his eyes.

“How...?” Makoto repeated blankly. He flung up his hands and couldn’t help raise his voice. “All of it, Togami-kun! You even called her ‘attractive’!”

Byakuya’s eyes flashed wider, and he turned his head to one side. “... No, I didn’t.”

If this had been a written story, Makoto could have pointed to the word ‘attractive’ in Byakuya’s recent dialogue, but he couldn’t, so he folded his arms over his chest and hunched his shoulders, pouting.

“I shall now recite my third version,” announced Byakuya, sticking his nose up. Makoto stared.

“T-Third...?” Makoto spluttered.

Either Byakuya ignored Makoto or took this exclamation as a sound of consent. He got out yet another piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. Then he glared at Makoto, like he expected Makoto to interrupt, and when Makoto didn’t, Byakuya glanced at it before speaking yet again.

“I have been meaning to confess my feelings to you for a long time now,” said Byakuya, chin held high. “For a long time, I took you for granted, and during your long absence in Towa City, I realised how much I came to not only be used to having you at my disposal but also how much I approved, no, desired your presence.”

By this point, Makoto couldn’t even muster up any emotion to liven his face. He didn’t even wish that the tiles above and below him would splinter, become teeth, and swallow him up. All he did was stand there, motionless.

Meanwhile, Byakuya remained unperturbed. Carried on with his speech, gesturing passionately.

“I remember your dark grey eyes and how they would follow me around the room, how they danced in and out of view behind your glasses so befitting a literary girl.”

The only indication of life from Makoto was how his eyes tracked Byakuya’s movements around the room. It wasn’t that Makoto wasn’t happy for the guy. The opposite was true. Makoto just didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Of Byakuya being so oblivious to something so painfully obvious to Makoto. Byakuya paused from his pacing and gazed up at his elevated hand, palm up and fingers splayed like he was grasping the globe.

“What once unsettled, annoyed me... now gives me reassurance. Security. This is because I know you would be my knight,” said Byakuya. His fingers closed in to create a fist. “Your long, aubergine hair, once tied in braids, now flies wild and unkempt, framing your pale face in a stark contrast between light and dark... You, once a wallflower, now a rose, demanding attention from all those present...”

Byakuya trailed off, standing as still as a statue. Makoto didn’t know if Byakuya was finished yet but dared not ask.

“... I have been able to see your face on video call, but you were intangible,” continued Byakuya. Good call by Makoto. Byakuya spoke barely above a whisper. “But now, if I wanted, I could bring my hands to your hair... comb my fingers through your hair... cradle your cheeks in my hands...”

The guy had it bad.

“Togami-kun,” said Makoto, unable to refrain any longer.

As if the vision of Touko that only Byakuya could see suddenly fractured, freeing him from his trance, Byakuya turned to Makoto sharply. “What?”

“This really sounds like a confession,” said Makoto.

“It’s not!” insisted Byakuya.

Makoto wanted to shake him. Instead, he dragged his fingers down his own face. “You’re talking about combing your fingers through her hair and caressing her face...”

“Theoretically,” said Byakuya.

“What?” asked Makoto, gaping, and Byakuya fidgeted with his glasses.

“I’m saying I theoretically could,” explained Byakuya. He brought a hand to his chin. His gaze drifted upward, clouding in thought. “I could also nudge her glasses into place, or even... touch her... hand...”

Byakuya stroked his thumb against his chin. Makoto laced his fingers together and shook his hands pleadingly at Byakuya.

“Togami-kun, if you have feelings for her, it really is okay,” said Makoto.

In fact, Makoto and the others had spent many conversations trying to decide how best to get Byakuya to confess his feelings because his pining was becoming too much to leave alone. Many times, they all heard Byakuya talk about how he would go personally to Towa City to retrieve Touko. They all heard Byakuya talk about Touko during lunch breaks, sharing facts like how they had both seen the same cult movie before and quoting different parts of her various novels which he had taken up reading. And all of them had heard his sighs, seen him drum his fingers as he stared out of a window and knew who he was thinking about.

Makoto pleaded in his head with Byakuya to confirm what everyone already knew. His inner voice begged. Strained.

Finally, Byakuya’s brow cracked.

“Are you in on this with the others?” asked Byakuya. 

That was not what Makoto expected. Makoto tilted his head.

“Others?” he said.

“You are saying what the others said when I came to them for help,” sneered Byakuya. He pointed at Makoto. “Hagakure, Asahina, Kirigiri... They all told me that my speeches sounded like confessions of love.”

Apparently, Byakuya had gone to everyone else before seeking Makoto out. Makoto didn’t know how to feel about that, or if this was a good time to feel anything about that. Byakuya rested his head in his hand.

“I just want to thank Fukawa for the work she has done,” Byakuya told Makoto, the rough edges to his tone softening. “Not just for her role with Towa City and rescuing me. Not even for all the errands she has run for me. In my family, as you know, it’s tradition for the heir to be selected from a pool of siblings. I was a business investment first and foremost. Everyone was my opponent. Anyone could be getting close to me just to try to take me down and replace me.”

A sad twinge puckered in Makoto’s chest. He cocked his head to one side. Though he looked at Byakuya, Byakuya didn’t look back at him, not as Byakuya lowered his hands or as he began talking again.

“The conglomerate was powerful. Rich,” said Byakuya. “It was the elite of the elite. Now it’s just me. And yet... knowing this, Fukawa stayed by my side. Her feelings, her opinion, didn’t waver. She doesn’t see me as a Togami first and foremost, but as Byakuya. Byakuya-sama.”

Makoto’s brow creased, and he lifted a hand, faltering, but he ended up resting his hand on Byakuya’s shoulder. Byakuya continued not looking at him. He didn’t shove Makoto off either.

“I thought I was helping her by teaching her to be more independent, to improve herself, but I didn’t realise until later that she taught me as well,” said Byakuya, his eyes downcast. “She gains power from her emotions, rather than let them drag her down. You and her... both showed me emotions and bonds can give strength. That depending on others doesn’t mean you’re weak. And she... with how she feels for me... how she can draw strength from her love...”

Byakuya’s features hardened, and he switched on the brakes on his verbalised train of thought. Makoto felt him tremble faintly under his hand. His chest gave a sad clench, and he tilted his head to one side. Perhaps they had all been too harsh on Byakuya. Too impatient. What seemed obvious to them was another world for Byakuya, one that Byakuya had for so long been taught was lowly enough for him to grind his heel against.

“Togami-kun, I know you will think this is a copout answer, or complain I’m being too nice, but I don’t think you need to prepare a speech or worry about what you will say to her,” said Makoto. Byakuya didn’t stir, but Makoto wasn’t discouraged. “It’s good that you’re able to articulate your thoughts, and all of us shouldn’t make assumptions about what you’re talking about. I think... it’s one of those times when it’s best to wait until the moment to say what you think is appropriate, but if what you said in your speech is how you feel, then I think... you should tell her that.”

No response from Byakuya. Makoto’s lips curled up at the ends and he waved his hand, keeping his other on his friend’s shoulder.

“If you find out you don’t know what to say, you can always offer her a hug,” Makoto suggested in a light tone. “I’m expecting to have bruises after Komaru’s done hugging me.”

A laugh escaped Makoto, shaky but good-natured. Byakuya finally turned to him, and Makoto felt sure Byakuya was smiling very slightly.

“Yes, I think you’re right,” Byakuya decided quietly. “A hug may suffice. Here. Let me practice on you.”

Before Makoto could understand what was about to happen, Byakuya closed the gap between their bodies and wrapped his arms around Makoto, giving The Most Awkward Hug that Makoto had ever experienced. The hug wasn’t bad, but Makoto’s face was smothered in Byakuya’s chest, and he didn’t sink at all into Byakuya. It was like pressing his face against a window.

After a while, Byakuya stepped back, and Makoto breathed again, head spinning slightly.

Their first hug.

Probably their last too.

Still, Makoto appreciated it. Both of them regarded each other. Makoto broke the ice first.

“I think this sort of thing should also wait until the moment it’s happening,” said Makoto. He adjusted his collar. “But... um... I recommend loosening up a bit when you do it next time.”

“I think so too,” agreed Byakuya. “I’ll keep note of your critique.”

Then, Byakuya added,

“Now that is out of the way, there is one more thing. When I meet with Fukawa again, I wish to give her a present. I don’t want to give her any food, though I know her diet needs attention, so I thought I would give her a piece of jewelry. A ring - ”

Makoto could only handle so much in a day. He threw up his hands and flounced out. 

The door nearly smacked into Kanon Nakajima’s face. Byakuya must have scheduled an appointment with her too, but Makoto was too exasperated to dwell on it.

She started, “Is - ?”

“In there,” said Makoto, passing by, and he went home to play video games.


End file.
